


#39 Scar

by Kyarorain



Series: Poké100 [39]
Category: Pocket Monsters | Pokemon (Anime)
Genre: Gen, Past Child Abuse
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2011-02-20
Updated: 2011-02-20
Packaged: 2018-01-06 02:31:37
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 575
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1101323
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kyarorain/pseuds/Kyarorain
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Ash and Dawn have a conversation on the subject of absent fathers.</p>
            </blockquote>





	#39 Scar

"It will be five more minutes, alright?" Brock said to Ash and Dawn, who were standing behind him and watching him stir the pot. "Why don't you two go and sit down?" It was unnerving to have them standing there and watching him like that. The table was already set and the Pokémon were eating from their own bowls. Now all that was left was for Brock to finish cooking and the two younger members of the trio could hardly wait.

Ash and Dawn went over to the table and took their seats, throwing longing glances at Brock. Sitting there in silence wasn't making the time pass any quicker so they started talking. The conversation went from contests to Dawn's mother and Ash was listening attentively, until a thought occurred to him. "Hey, I just wondered. We've never heard about your father, have we?"

Dawn recoiled in surprise for a moment until she responded, "Well, I'm pretty sure you've never mentioned your father either."

"Yeah. I never really talk about him." Ash's voice grew quiet. "I don't even know him. He left home to go on a Pokémon journey before I was even born and never came back. I don't think he ever will either. Was it like that for you too?"

Dawn's shoulders drooped and she looked away, biting down on her lower lip. "I wish it had been. It's similar though, since he's not around. He was still around for the first five years of my life, but he wasn't such a good father or husband. In the end, Mom threw him out and we've never seen him since."

"Oh." Now Ash felt bad for asking. It was clear that this was a sensitive subject for Dawn and he wished he hadn't said anything.

"I hardly remember him now but what I do remember is quite enough." Dawn pushed up her skirt, pointing at her hip. "See this?"

Ash leaned in to see where she was pointing and caught sight of a jagged white line running across Dawn's thigh. He took a sharp intake of breath, looking horrified as he gazed at the scar marring her flesh. "Did your father...?" He trailed off, unable to finish the question.

Dawn nodded. "He threw a broken bottle at me because I was being too noisy, apparently. I still remember what happened and it was really scary. That was when Mom kicked him out for good. I don't miss him at all. Honestly, I never want to see him again."

"I'm sorry." Ash wasn't sure what to say. Now he was wondering what kind of a person his own father might have been. From the brief mentions his mother had made, it didn't sound like he had been a bad person though.

"Sometimes I wonder what it would have been like to have a nice, caring father, but I don't think I'll ever know. At least I had Mom."

"Yeah. I'm glad I had my mom too." Ash leaned back in his chair. "I wonder what it's like to have a father but it doesn't really matter because my mom was there for me. I don't think I ever needed one. Still, I wish I could at least know his name or what he was like."

"Dinner's ready!" Brock called out, interrupting the conversation. He placed the bowls down in front of them and Ash and Dawn started to eat, quickly forgetting about that sobering conversation.


End file.
